CAMP DARAPANAN, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao (MindaNews/27 February) — Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte has personally appealed to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front central committee to keep the peace between its group and the Philippine Government despite the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law in Congress.
In a meeting Saturday with the MILF, Duterte, standard bearer of the PDP-Laban, asked the leaders of the rebel group to “postpone any action that might derail peace.”
He said the enactment of the Bangsamoro Basic Law was “a promise by the government, and not by an administration.”
The MILF in its February 18 statement signed by MLF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim expressed its “deep disappointment and grave dismay” over the non-passage of the BBL” but said it will “continue to uphold the peace process and ensure that all the gains will be preserved.”
Presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte appealed to the members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Central Committee to keep the peace despite the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law during his visit at Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao province on February 27, 2016. Seated with him is Ghazzali Jaafar, first vice-chair of the MILF. MindaNews photo by TOTO LOZANO
Duterte said he did not go to the camp to campaign despite throwing potshots at political opponent Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, presidential bet of the ruling Liberal Party.
He said he recognizes the decision of the MILF leadership to give its members the freedom to choose the country’s leaders.
MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar, meanwhile, hinted that the organization was attracted to Duterte’s hardline stance against illegal drugs and criminality.
“Yan ang gustong-gusto namin,” Jaffar said, adding Islam forbids the use, manufacture and sale of illegal drugs.
Duterte said he had long been worried about the failure of the present government to pass a law that would have ended decades of conflict with the MILF.
“I know you are very, very disappointed,” the mayor said. “Let me propose another setup just to make everyone happy.”
He also lamented that the other presidential candidates have allegedly given little attention to Mindanao.
Duterte said he will push for a federal setup akin to the proposed Bangsamoro but at the same time asked for the MILF’s trust in handling law enforcement in the early stages of the autonomous government.
He said the government would gradually hand over law enforcement to the Bangsamoro leadership once it proves itself capable for the job.
Jaafar, meanwhile, emphasized that the Bangsamoro government would be “democratic, and not Islamic.” (MindaNews)
